A Twist of Kate
by Sabertooth Kitty
Summary: A new friend comes to Foster's. How will she get along with the other imaginary friends? (new chapter- "A True Friend")
1. New Friends

A Twist of Kate  
  
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Rated PG  
  
Kate and Erica belong to me. Everyone else belongs to Craig McCracken.  
  
Author's Notes: This is my response to the recent outpour of Wilt romance / angst fics. I'm sure they're all great, but I thought it was time for a little change.  
  
The story's main character, besides Kate, is Eduardo. I hope you see where I'm going with this...  
  
Now, whenever I write fanfic, I try to keep the characters true to their original designs, so I want to keep the rest of the cast as involved as possible. You'll see a lot of Mac and Bloo, and some great stuff from Wilt, Coco, Frankie, Mr. Herriman, and all the others. I might even squeeze Duchess in, if I see my chance.  
  
Other than that... I hope you like my short story. Enjoy- I always do. :)  
  
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Chapter One: "New Friends"  
  
  
  
The Foster's Home was hustling and bustling with activity, as usual. Imaginary friends were running around here and there, doing chores or having fun, whatever the case may be. It was always good to know that there were folks like Frankie and Mr. Herriman to keep things in line.  
  
Of course, not everything was in-order.  
  
A red remote-controlled car zipped down one of the hallways. On top of the car sat Bloo, a mischievious little imaginary friend, controlling the car with the hand-held controls. He squealed happily, delighting in the windy feel against his face.  
  
Quickly, a young boy ran down the hallway after the car. This was Mac, Bloo's creator, and the sane one of the pair. "Bloo!" he cried. "Stop! We're gonna get in trouble!"  
  
Bloo turned his attention away from the hallway and faced the young brown-haired boy. "Well, you DID say you wanted to bring your new toy over and play," he reminded. "Besides, I'm being very careful- I know exactly where I'm-"  
  
"Bloo!" Mac shouted. "Look out!"  
  
The blue blob turned around, realizing too late that he was heading for the stairs. He and the car tumbled down the stairs, each of them earning their own dents and bruises.  
  
Mac ran down the stairs, towards his friend. "Oh my gosh! Bloo!"  
  
After taking a moment to relax, Bloo sat up and brushed himself off. "I'm fine, Mac," he replied, glancing at the car. "Ooh... too bad about the car, though."  
  
Shocked, Mac ran over to the car. "Oh no," he moaned. "I just bought this car, Bloo! Do you know how many weeks' allowance I had to save up to buy it?"  
  
Taking the question too literally, Bloo thought about it. "Um... 20?" he guessed. "22? 23?"  
  
Now Mac was even more frustrated. "This is perfect," he muttered. "I finally get something I saved for for weeks, and it gets broken in less than in hour!"  
  
A tall figure sauntered up to the boy and his friend. "Hey, Mac, Bloo," he greeted, noticing the sad circumstance. "What's wrong?"  
  
With a heavy sigh, Mac sat down and pushed his toy aside. "Nothing, Wilt," he answered.  
  
Upset with how Mac was taking this, Bloo walked over to the tall red imaginary friend. "It's his new toy," he explained. "We were playing with it, and it got broken."  
  
Wilt nodded. "Hey, maybe I can fix it for you," he offered.  
  
Surprised, Mac tilted his head up. "Really?" he asked.  
  
"Sure," Wilt responded, taking the broken toy car in his one hand. "Anything for a friend, Mac."  
  
Mac stood; he would have hugged Wilt if he wasn't so tall. "Thanks!" he said.  
  
A warm smile crossed Wilt's face. "No problem," he replied, taking the broken toy upstairs with him.  
  
Bloo glanced at Mac. "See?" he chimed. "You wouldn't have know that if you never asked!"  
  
The boy gave Bloo a sidelong look. "I shouldn't have to ask," he shot back. "My toy wouldn't have gotten broke in the first place if you didn't ride it around the house like that!"  
  
Without a better comeback, Bloo decided to place the blame back on Mac. "Well, you should have known better," he retorted. "Did you really think you could trust me with a remote-controlled car?"  
  
Before Mac could say anything, the doorbell rang. This drew the attention of some curious imaginary friends, as well as Mac and Bloo themselves.  
  
A large anthro rabbit dressed in Victorian attire hopped over to the door. This was Mr. Herriman, one of the folks who ran Fosters; he was in charge of all the maintenance and paperwork, especially when it came to the adoption of imaginary friends.  
  
Mr. Herriman opened the door. "Welcome to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," he greeted. "How may I be of service?"  
  
A young woman with short blonde hair and glasses entered the home. "Um, hi," she responded. "I'm looking for Frankie. Is she around?"  
  
The elder rabbit rolled his eyes. "Is this a personal call, or do you have official business?" he inquired.  
  
Flustered, the blonde girl chuckled. "Oh, yeah, I have business here," she said. "In fact, I came here to drop off an imaginary friend."  
  
All the close-by imaginary friends began murmuring; it was always nice to see someone else welcomed into the Foster's Home. Why did she want Frankie, though?  
  
Nodding, Mr. Herriman hopped over to a loudspeaker and spoke into it. "Miss Frances," he addressed, "your presence is requested in the main foyer. There is a young lady here who wishes to have a word with you."  
  
There was a brief pause. The imaginary friends, including Mac and Bloo, waited in anticipation.  
  
Again, Mr. Herriman spoke into the microphone. "Miss Frances-"  
  
"I'm coming!" Frankie's voice echoed through the hallway.  
  
Finally, Frankie hurried down the stairs. "I'm here," the red-head gasped, catching her breath as she looked up at the blonde girl. "Erica?"  
  
The blonde smiled. "Frankie!" she cried, running over and embracing her friend. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"  
  
Mac wandered over up to the two girls. "Frankie," he said, "you know her?"  
  
Frankie smiled. "Yeah, since high school," she replied. "Erica and I were good friends back then. After high school, I started working at Foster's full time, and Erica went off to college."  
  
Erica nodded. "Hey, Frankie," she began, "do you remember that script I was writing?"  
  
Curious, Frankie gave Erica her full attention. "Yeah?"  
  
With a huge sigh, Erica grinned. "I finally pulled the right strings," she announced. "There's a director who likes my script, and he wants to turn it into a movie!"  
  
Ecstatic, Frankie hugged Erica again. "That's great!" she chimed.  
  
Mr. Herriman sighed heavily. "I don't have time for this," he muttered, turning to Erica. "You said you were here on official business?"  
  
At that moment, Erica's excitement waned. "Oh... yeah," she answered, looking back at Frankie. "Well, with the new job... and all these offers... I was wondering if you could take Kate for me."  
  
To say the least, Frankie was unsure. "Erica?" she queried.  
  
The blonde girl hung her head. "I can't take care of Kate anymore," she explained. "The job is too demanding, and I'll be doing a lot of traveling." She smiled a little. "I want Kate to go to a good home... and what better place to stay, if temporarily, than Fosters?"  
  
Frankie smiled. "We'd be happy to have Kate with us," she said. "Just bring her in, and we'll have someone show her around."  
  
Nodding, Erica looked outside. "Come on in, Kate!" she shouted.  
  
A dog-like creature sauntered inside. She stood on her two back legs, wearing capris and a yellow top. Apart from that, she looked like your average dog; she even had a collar, with a cheap marble-like jewel where a nametag should be. Naturally, she seemed... disinterested.  
  
For one reason or another, Frankie seemed a little confused. "Kate?"  
  
The dog, apparently Kate, said nothing. She sighed and crossed her arms, glancing around the room and yet looking at nothing inparticular.  
  
Erica frowned. "Kate hasn't been taking the news well," she informed. "She hasn't spoken to me this morning, and she was very cold with me the night before." She came closer to Frankie. "See, this is why I wanted to talk to you- I was hoping you and some of the other imaginary friends would break her out of this... mood."  
  
"We'll try, but I can't garuntee any promises," Frankie answered. "So... do you wanna tell Kate anything? Say goodbye, maybe?"  
  
Sighing heavily, Erica knelt down and stared at her imaginary friend. "Kate... I hope you have a good life here," she whispered. "Foster's is a great place to live, and they'll make sure you go to a good home someday. Who knows? Maybe you'll make one child as happy as I was."  
  
Kate could only mutter a growl. She closed her eyes, to avoid looking at Erica.  
  
A tear rolled down Erica's cheek. "I'll miss you, Kate," she murmured, hugging Kate for the last time.  
  
Unmoving, Kate did not return the gesture. She was too upset.  
  
Though hurt, Erica already knew Kate could be fickle. She wiped her tears away, then turned to Frankie. "I'll send you an email once I get settled," she said. "If Kate is still around, be sure to show her too."  
  
Frankie nodded. "I'll do my best," she replied. "Good luck, Erica."  
  
Erica smiled. "Thanks, Frankie," she responded. "Take good care of Kate!" With that, she turned around and left Fosters, with no intention of looking back.  
  
As some of the imaginary friends cleared out and went back to their business, other folks stayed behind to help Kate get settled.  
  
Mr. Herriman spoke first. "Welcome to Fosters, Katherine," he greeted. "Would you like a tour of the facilities?"  
  
At first, Kate did not respond. "No thanks," she finally muttered, wandering over to a nearby chair.  
  
Then, Frankie decided maybe she should step in. "I can give you a tour, Kate," she offered. "Or, maybe you'd like to get settled into your bedroom?"  
  
"I said, no thanks," Kate snapped.  
  
Clearly, Frankie was going to have a few problems with this imaginary friend. "Maybe you'd like to check out the entertainment center?" she inquired. "Or, maybe you want something to drink?"  
  
The dog cocked her eyebrows. "Look," she spat, "if it's all the same to you, I'd rather just be left alone right now."  
  
Frankie sighed. "Fine," she groaned. "Just tell me if you need anything."  
  
Since Mr. Herriman and Frankie did what they could, they left the room and went back to work. That left only two other folks in the room...  
  
Bloo scooted up to Kate. "Hi," he said. "My name's Bloo, and this is my friend Mac."  
  
Kate growled, snarling a little.  
  
Even Mac could tell that this wasn't getting anywhere. "Bloo," he addressed, "maybe we should just leave Kate alone. She looks like she's been through a lot today... and I don't wanna get hurt or anything."  
  
Of course, Bloo wasn't about to listen to the voice of reason. "Would you relax?" he scoffed. "What Kate really needs is some socialization. She's not gonna get any just sitting here!"  
  
Mac glanced up at Kate, clearly ticked off. "Okay," he murmured, "but it's your funeral."  
  
Rolling his eyes, Bloo looked back at Kate. "So, what do you like to do?" he queried. "Do you like race cars? I drove a race car myself this morning; you should have seen how fast I was going! I was like-"  
  
Suddenly, Kate grabbed Bloo, squeezing him between her fingers as he squeaked like a dog toy. "Go away," she barked, tossing Bloo over her shoulder.  
  
As Bloo brushed himself off again, Mac quietly walked over. "I don't wanna say I told you so," he reminded, "but..."  
  
"But nothing!" Bloo interrupted. "We're not done yet- we just need a little help."  
  
At that moment, two more imaginary friends sauntered downstairs. One of them was Wilt, and the other was a bird/airplane/plant creature otherwise known as Coco (since all she ever says is, "coco").  
  
Bloo ran over to the imaginary friends. "Wilt, Coco," he said.  
  
Wilt smiled, as he always did. "Hey, Bloo."  
  
Coco bobbed her head a little. "Coco coco."  
  
Smirking, Bloo gestured to the new imaginary friend. "Have you two met Kate yet?" he inquired.  
  
Mac sighed and shook his head. "Not again," he muttered.  
  
With a wide smile, Wilt held out his hand. "Hi, Kate," he greeted. "My name's Wilt, and I-"  
  
Quickly, Kate glared at Wilt and snarled. She too held out her paw, only in a more threatening gesture.  
  
Shocked, Wilt backed off. "That's okay, that's okay," he assured, turning to Mac and Bloo. "That's not okay. What's wrong with her?"  
  
"Kate is just having a hard time," Mac answered. "I think she needs some time alone, to get adjusted."  
  
Again, Bloo scoffed the young boy. "Come on, Mac," he pressed. "Nothing's gonna help her more than some good old socialization."  
  
Of course, Mac was still not convinced. "Bloo, she looked like she wanted to bite Wilt's other arm off!" he snapped. "If we just leave her alone, maybe she'll calm down and we can talk to her later."  
  
Suddenly, Coco made a brave move and sauntered up to Kate. "Coco, coco coco co," she stated. "Coco coco coco, coco co!"  
  
Kate's ears flickered. "What'd you just say?" she spat.  
  
Coco stared at Kate. "Coco coco co," she said firmly.  
  
Angered, Kate bared her claws. "Is that so?" she hissed.  
  
Nevertheless, Coco stood her ground. "Coco," she growled.  
  
There was silence. No one moved or said a word.  
  
It was then that Kate pounced, in an attempt to attack Coco. She missed and hit the floor, only to realize that Coco (along with Wilt, Bloo, and Mac) were running off.  
  
Normally, Kate would have dismissed it, but she wasn't about to let Coco get away so easily... at least, not without a warning for next time. She stood and followed the friends up the stairs.  
  
Mac glared at Bloo. "See?" he countered. "I told you not to bother her!"  
  
"Relax!" Bloo gasped. "I have a plan!"  
  
The boy was stunned. "You do?"  
  
Bloo nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "I'll tell you as soon as I think of it!"  
  
Suddenly, the group of friends bumped into something... or rather, someone. It was yet another imaginary friend- Eduardo, a giant purple monster-like friend with the mentality of a five-year-old. "Azul, Senor Mac," he addressed in his Spanish accent. "What is it you are running from?"  
  
At that moment, Kate ran down the hallway. "Come here, you chicken!" she barked.  
  
Suddenly, both Eduardo and Kate stepped back in fear. They were afraid of each other!  
  
Fearful, Kate shrieked and ran back down the hallway, hiding around the corner.  
  
Likewise, Eduardo cried and pulled Mac and Bloo close.  
  
Wilt and Coco, who were standing right behind Eduardo, noticed this odd spectacle. Well, now that Kate wasn't chasing them anymore, now they had to figure out how to introduce her to Eduardo.  
  
Of course, Bloo was also quick to notice this. "Wait a minute," he murmured, slipping out of Eduardo's hands. "Kate, this is Eduardo. He's a friend here at Fosters."  
  
Kate shivered in fear. "I'm not going near that thing!" she cried.  
  
After Eduardo calmed down a little, he too realized that Kate was afraid of him. He never liked seeing people so fearful, probably because he knew what that felt like.  
  
Being his usual friendly self, Wilt gestured Kate to come over. "It's okay, Kate," he assured. "Eduardo is nice; he wouldn't harm a fly."  
  
Coco nodded in agreement. "Coco coco co," she said.  
  
That still wasn't enough to convince Kate. She was on all fours, cowering around the corner.  
  
Eduardo knew from experience that Kate wasn't going to come out any time soon; he needed to go to her. "Si, senorita," he responded, slowly (and nervously) walking over. "Esto bueno."  
  
The dog crawled away. "Don't... don't come near me," she threatened (though very unconvincingly). "Don't come any closer... I'm warning you..."  
  
"Kate, it's okay."  
  
Surprised, Kate noticed Mac coming out from behind Eduardo. "Don't worry- there's no reason to be afraid of Eduardo," he explained. "Sure, he looks big and mean, but he's actually one of the nicest friends here at Fosters." He smiled. "Besides, he was just as afraid of you."  
  
Although still afraid, Kate did calm down a bit. She stopped crawling away; she just sat there, cowering in Eduardo's shadow.  
  
Slowly, Eduardo reached his hand out... and patted Kate's head. He never saw her walk upright, and she wasn't going to shake hands with him, so he might as well.  
  
Everyone else waited for a reaction; this time, the prospects seemed hopeful.  
  
After a moment, Kate smiled. She crawled a little closer, and managed to stand up on her hind legs. "Hi," she said, holding out her paw. "I'm Kate."  
  
Eduardo returned the gesture, and soon the rest of them got a chance to really meet Kate. Once she had gotten past her anxieties, she was a nice fun imaginary friend.  
  
As the friends continued talking, Frankie walked up to them in the hallway, en route to another household chore. "Hey, guys," she greeted, noticing Kate in better spirits. "Kate- glad to see you've made some new friends."  
  
Kate nodded. "Thanks," she replied. "In all honesty, I think I'm beginning to like Fosters."  
  
Frankie smiled. "Great," she responded. "See you later." She then remembered something and glanced at Mac. "Oh, Mac- it's getting late. You might wanna go home soon."  
  
With a heavy sigh, Mac sauntered downstairs. "Okay," he murmured.  
  
Once Frankie had left, Bloo followed Mac downstairs. "See?" he chimed. "What'd I tell you? All Kate needed was a little socialization."  
  
Mac scoffed. "Yeah, right," he commented. "Kate wasn't interested in socializing, Bloo. She just needed to calm down a bit; you know, get settled in."  
  
"Oh, sure!" Bloo snapped. "Take credit for the success!"  
  
The boy chuckled a little. "You know, Bloo," he remarked, "something tells me that things are gonna be a little different around Fosters from now on..." 


	2. Run of the House

A Twist of Kate  
  
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Rated PG  
  
Kate belongs to me. Everyone else belongs to Craig McCracken.  
  
Author's Notes: Just a couple of notes this time.  
  
Mr. M7- Funny you should mention cat ladies. In fact, Kate was going to be a cat lady, but I changed my mind for two reasons:  
1. I already have two other stories with cat ladies as main characters. I thought it was time to change that pattern.  
2. In NBC's "Father of the Pride", one of the leading characters is a white lioness named Kate. I didn't wanna copy her unintentionally.  
Also, Kate was just going to be a talking animal that occasionally walked upright, but that didn't seem "creative enough" for me. So, I allowed her to stand and walk on her hind legs, and gave her clothes so I wouldn't run into problems with "mental pictures" or my own art. Yes, she still pales in comparison to the friends Craig seems to have come up with, but hey- in the world of fanfic, you gotta allow for a little creative license, right? :)  
  
Miss Understood Genius- Thanks for the compliments. I like to give my stories interesting titles to grab the reader's attention. As far as humor goes, I found it essential if I wanted the story close to accurate to the FHFIF universe. Yes, I do intend to keep writing... at least until I lose interest (sadly, I tend to do that; none of my multi-chaptered stories are complete yet... hehehe...).  
  
Weasil the NPC- Uh... looks up enema in the dictionary ... Okay... I hope that was a compliment... if it was, thanks much. If not, disregard the last comment.  
  
Keep this in mind: as far as this story goes, I'm just winging it. I have a few ideas here and there, but not enough for a solid plot. If you have any ideas for further "sub-plots" to further develop the story, please let me know! :)  
  
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Chapter Two: "Run of the House"  
  
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About an hour later, the imaginary friends at Fosters began making their way into the dining hall. There was a wide variety of foods to choose from. It wasn't just a dining hall- it was a buffet!  
  
Bloo was the first of his group of friends to sit down at the table. For such a small imaginary friend, he had a huge appitite! Wilt sat down next, then Coco and Eduardo, and finally Kate.  
  
The little blue blob looked over the table. "Let's see," he muttered, grabbing anything within his reach. "I'll have... one of those, and one of these, and one of this, and- ooh! - one of that!"  
  
Wilt looked over at Kate and smiled. "Are you enjoying Fosters so far?" he asked.  
  
The doglike imaginary friend nodded. "I have to admit, this place has everything an imaginary friend needs," she responded. "I'm surprised whoever runs this place has enough money to do it!"  
  
"Well, that's Madam Foster for you," Wilt replied. "She and Mr. Herriman opened this home to any imaginary friend in need of a place to stay, and maybe even another friend."  
  
Intrigued, Kate rubbed her chin in thought. "Yes," she murmured, then turning her attention to the food. "Man, look at all this food! There's more than enough here to feed an army!"  
  
As the food slowly worked its way around the table, everyone each grabbed what they wanted. Bloo grabbed what he could, sometimes taking more than he could eat. Wilt and Eduardo had more or less similar servings to what everyone else had, whereas Coco took as many fruits and vegetables as she could fit on her plate. Kate, however, was partial to the more meaty dishes.  
  
Kate was about to start eating when she was stopped. "Miss Katherine," a familair voice scolded.  
  
Surprised, Kate turned around. "Mr. Herriman," she addressed  
  
The elder rabbit seemed upset about something. "Miss Katherine," he continued, "it is my duty to oversee the care and well-being of our residents, including nutrition." He cocked his eyebrows a little. "Apparently, you don't seem to have a problem with protien in your diet, but I don't see a single fruit or vegetable on that plate."  
  
The doglike imaginary friend flattened her ears across her head, a sign of annoyance. "I have my reasons, Mr. Herriman," she assured. "I know most of your residents are omnivorous, but I can't eat farm-fresh fruits and veggies. It'll sit in my stomach, and I'll get sick."  
  
Of course, Mr. Herriman already saw past that obstacle. "Perhaps you should try Madam Foster's Soy Casserole," he suggested, almost bluntly. "The essential nutrients of the fruits and vegetables you need in your diet, without endangering your digestive system." He held out a small bowl of the casserole and gave it to Kate. "I've taken the liberty of getting a fresh batch for you. Enjoy."  
  
As Mr. Herriman hopped off to fulfill other duties, Kate rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Whatever," she apologized. "I can't believe he insisted on giving me this..." She stared at the soy casserole questionably. "... whatever this is."  
  
"Try it," Wilt advised. "All the food here is great. I'm sure you'll like it."  
  
Sighing, Kate shrugged and first tried to cut a piece of meat. She stopped when she saw Bloo- he was shoveling food into his mouth, almost like an animal (though he was using untensils). She probably could have gotten over it, but the distraction was enough to keep her from eating.  
  
Thankfully, Mr. Herriman dropped by. "Master Blooregard," he chided, closing Bloo's mouth. "Please, chew your food slowly, quietly, and with your mouth closed. Honestly- I shouldn't have to tell you that." With that, he again turned about and went on with his duties.  
  
Bloo scoffed a little. "Don't worry, Kate," he murmured. "You're not the only one who doesn't like Herriman around here."  
  
A small smile crossed Kate's face as she continued with her meal. Close, she thought, but not quite...  
  
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After dinner, Bloo and the others wandered about the house. Wilt and Coco had a couple of chores to take care of, so Bloo and Eduardo thought they'd show Kate the rec room.  
  
Indeed, the rec room at Fosters was something to be desired. It was a huge room with couches, a pool table, arcade games, a television... this was one of the best casual hangouts in the whole house.  
  
The little blue friend lead his two companions through the rec room. "There's a dance machine," he said, pointing out all the different games as he went along. "There's a shoot-em-up game over there... there's the new VR game... oh, and here's the Whack-A-Mole game!"  
  
Kate shifted her ears in interest. "Your kind of game?" she guessed.  
  
Chuckling evilly, Bloo picked up the whacker. "You bet!" he replied.  
  
As Eduardo and Kate watched Bloo pummel the mechanical moles, a tiny little creature scurried across the floor. It bumped into Kate's foot; assuming it was an inanimate object, the creature started crawling up her leg.  
  
Now Kate had always been physically sensitive, so naturally the crawling creepy made her ticklish. "Hey, guys, stop," she giggled. "Whoever's tickling me, stop it!"  
  
"Hey, don't look at me," Bloo responded, still playing the game. "I've been whacking moles the whole time."  
  
Eduardo shrugged. "Is not me, senorita," he answered.  
  
Even though she was still giggling, Kate suddenly began to feel uneasy. "Then," she squeaked, "what's..." She looked down at her leg; sitting right there on her thigh was a small black spider.  
  
Terrified, Kate screamed and started panicing. "Ah! Spider!" she shouted, shaking her legs like crazy. "Get it off, get it off, get it off!"  
  
Himself afraid, the giant purple friend starting crying and jumping around the room. He could only hope those boots of his squashed the eight-legged menace, but until then he needed to help Kate. He grabbed his new friend and picked her up off the floor, so the spider would leave her alone.  
  
Suddenly, Eduardo stopped. The spider was either gone or squished (he didn't really care either way, so long as it wasn't scaring him anymore). He was more surprised with Kate's reaction; she stared at him, blushing slightly. "Uh... you, you can put me down now," she finally suggested.  
  
Nodding, Eduardo placed Kate back on the ground. "Esta bien?" he asked.  
  
Kate smiled and nodded. "Fine," she replied. "Uh... thanks, I guess."  
  
At that moment, Bloo interrupted the conversation. "Come on, guys," he pressed. "Let's go see what else there is to play."  
  
Of course, there was something else. "Do you smell something?" Kate queried, sniffing the air. "It smells like smoke."  
  
Again, Eduardo became upset. "Fire!" he screamed, panicing. "Azul, senorita! Fire!"  
  
It was then that Kate noticed what was smoking. "No, Eduardo- look," she said, gesturing to the Whack-A-Mole game, a small cloud of smoke gathering over it. "Someone must have broken the game..." She gave Bloo a sidelong look, assuming he did it.  
  
Bloo attempted to defend himself. "It's not my fault the machine can't handle a couple of taps here and there," he complained, walking away with a sour look on his face. "Come on- let's find something else to do."  
  
Although still dubious, Kate rolled her eyes and let Bloo get away with this misfortune for now. "Fine," she responded. "No fuzz off my nose..."  
  
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Meanwhile, Wilt and Coco were busy in the kitchen- Wilt put all the extra food and ingrediants away while Coco cleaned all the pots and pans. Frankie had asked them to help clean up, as she was busy with... other chores...  
  
As Coco started on another pot, she turned to Wilt. "Co coco co co?" she asked.  
  
Wilt nodded, opening the cabinet and putting a few things away. "Sure, Coco," he answered. "I'd love to hear a new joke."  
  
"Co cococo co coco co?" Coco queried.  
  
Puzzled, Wilt shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "Why?"  
  
Coco smiled. "Coco co cococo coco!" she answered.  
  
The tall imaginary friend laughed. "That's good, Coco!" he chuckled. "You know, you come up with the best jokes."  
  
The strange bird/airplane/plant friend nodded in agreement. "Coco," she responded.  
  
At that moment, an exhausted Frankie entered the kitchen. "Hey, Wilt, Coco," she said, "how's it coming?"  
  
Not noticing Frankie's exhaustion, Wilt put a few more supplies away. "It's coming along," he replied, turning around and seeing the poor girl. "Frankie! What happened?"  
  
Quickly, Wilt's shock drew Coco's attention. "Coco?" she inquied.  
  
Frankie sighed, sitting down. "I'm okay, guys," she assured. "I just got finished remaking Duchess' bed, for the third time!"  
  
Confused, Coco further inquired, "Coco co?"  
  
Groaning, Frankie buried her face in her hands. "Don't get me started," she growled. "It's always complaining with Duchess- 'these pillows are too lumpy', 'this sheet wasn't folded correctly', 'my slippers go on the other side of the bed'..." She screamed. "One of these days, I'm gonna march right up to 'her royal highness' and tell her to kiss my-"  
  
"Miss Frances," Mr. Herriman addressed over the intercom.  
  
Still angry, Frankie stood and glared up at the intercom. "What??" she shouted.  
  
After a moment, Mr. Herriman continued, "Miss Frances, your presence is requested in the laundry facilities at once. We seem to have another complaint about-"  
  
Suddenly, Mr. Herriman was interrupted by none other than Duchess, the haughty "high maintenance" friend at Fosters. "Frankie!" she screamed. "Get down here at once!"  
  
With a heavy sigh, Frankie stood and started walking out, glancing back at Wilt and Coco. "You two keep at it," she suggested, groaning as she left. "I still have to deal with you-know-who..."  
  
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Once Wilt and Coco were done with kitchen duty, they went down to the rec room. Bloo was still playing video games, determined to get a high score in at least one of them. Eduardo and Kate left him alone after awhile, wandering off to play some table games (pool, air hockey, table tennis, etc).  
  
Wilt eventually found Eduardo and Kate sitting in front of the TV, watching some old cartoons. Eduardo loved watching the slapstick comedy, while Kate seemed to enjoy the clever jokes.  
  
The tall imaginary friend sat down on the couch next to the other two friends. "Hey, guys," he greeted. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but it's almost time for bed."  
  
It was then that Kate remembered something. "Oh, wait a minute," she noted. "Where I am going to sleep?"  
  
"Oh, that's okay," Wilt answered. "If a spare bed hasn't been set up yet, you can have mine."  
  
Now that surprised Kate. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't mind sleeping on the floor tonight."  
  
Of course, Wilt was always a gentleman. "No, no, it's okay," he assured. "This is your first night at Fosters- it should be a comfortable one."  
  
Kate smiled. "Thanks, Wilt," she replied.  
  
As Wilt stood and made his way over to the video games, Eduardo and Kate followed close behind. It wouldn't be too hard to find Bloo- they just had to look for the trail of broken arcade games.  
  
Soon, Kate began to notice something about Eduardo; he was shivering, not because he was cold, but because he was nervous. "Eduardo?" she queried. "Are you okay?"  
  
Eduardo nodded. "Si, senorita," he responded. "When Senor Wilt mentioned beds, I get afraid because..." He looked around cautiously, then whispered to Kate, "I think there is something under my bed."  
  
A small smirk crossed Kate's face. "You think there's something living under your bed?" she repeated. "Aw, Ed, there's nothing to worry about." She thought for a moment, adding, "I'll tell you what- if I see something come out from under your bed, I'll deal with it myself."  
  
To say the least, Eduardo was grateful (even though Kate was only joking). "Muchos gracias, Senorita Kate!" he cried, hugging her tightly.  
  
The doglike imaginary friend chuckled lightly. "Yeah... sure, okay," she murmured.  
  
"No!"  
  
The sudden shout surprised Eduardo and Kate; they turned their attention to a nearby video game, with Bloo desperately grasping the control stick... and Coco holding on to Bloo, pulling him back. "No, no, no!" Bloo cried. "I just need 100 points to beat the high score! No, no! Please, no!!"  
  
Coco wasn't backing down so easily. "Coco co!" she growled, muffled by Bloo (whom she was holding in her mouth to pull away).  
  
Then, a sharp snapping noise alerted them. The control stick broke, sending Bloo and Coco flying across the room. The machine startled going haywire, and finally broke down due to a couple crossed (or missing) wires.  
  
Ironically, that happened around the same time a certain rabbit entered the room. "Master Blooregard!" he shouted in anger.  
  
Upon noticing that the broken control stick was in his hands, Bloo tossed it over to Coco and pointed to her. "She did it!" he lied.  
  
Of course, Mr. Herriman didn't buy that for a second. "Master Blooregard," he scolded, "I'll have you know that-"  
  
Bloo interrupted him, staring at Coco in disappointment. "Sorry, Coco," he said, "but like they always say, if you can't do the time, don't do the-"  
  
Suddenly, Coco stood and bent over, picking up Bloo in her mouth. "Coco," she muttered, walking out with the little blue blob.  
  
"Hey!" Bloo cried. "Let me go! You can't do this to me, Coco!"  
  
As Wilt, Eduardo, and Kate followed Coco and Bloo out of the rec room, Mr. Herriman was left to inspect the damage. "Oh, dear," he sighed. "I'll need Miss Frances to call a repairman in the morning..."  
  
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Upstairs, everyone was getting ready for bed. Some were just brushing their teeth, while others were already asleep. With all the imaginary friends running around, it would have been a great time to get to know the residents of Fosters (had it not been so late).  
  
Kate wandered over to the bedsides. Due to some undesired sleeping arrangements, changes were made since the time Bloo came around- not only did Bloo have his own bed, but Wilt and Eduardo changed bunks in their bunk bed (don't ask). Coco, however, kept her nest right where it was.  
  
Still unsure, Kate walked over to Wilt. "Are you sure it's okay if I have your bed?" she asked. "Really, I don't mind sleeping on the floor. I used to do it all the time with Erica."  
  
Before Wilt could reply, another imaginary friend- a three-eyed pig that walked upright- came over. "Hey, Wilt!" he greeted.  
  
Wilt smiled. "Hi, Piggy," he replied. "What's up?"  
  
"Not much," Piggy replied. "Say, did you hear about Smarmy? He got adopted just this morning!"  
  
A wide grin crossed Wilt's face. "Hey, that's great!" he chimed.  
  
Upon hearing about another adoption, Kate quickly interrupted the conversation. "Excuse me," she pardoned. "Did you say someone got adopted?"  
  
Piggy nodded. "Yeah," he answered. "Old Smarmy. About time he found a good home, too."  
  
It was then that Wilt was struck with an idea. "Wait a minute," he murmured, turning his attention to Piggy. "Smarmy was adopted this morning, right?"  
  
The three-eyed pig nodded. "Yeah, so?" he inquired.  
  
The tall imaginary friend gestured to Kate. "Well, Kate just got here this afternoon," he responded. "Maybe she could have Smarmy's old bed."  
  
Shrugging, Piggy walked up to Kate. "Sure, go ahead," he said, pointing to the bed opposite of Wilt and Eduardo's bunk beds. "It's that one over there. Careful, though- Smarmy loved his midnight snacks, so you might find a few stains and crumbs hidden there somewhere."  
  
As Piggy wandered off to take care of personal hygiene (if any), Kate sauntered over to the bed. She sat down, gently bouncing up and down. "Nice," she commented. "It'll do for tonight."  
  
Being the considerate friend he was, Wilt wanted to make sure Kate was fine with the arrangement. "So, it's okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Kate assured, stressing the word. "So long as there aren't any springs sticking up through the mattress, I'm fine."  
  
Wilt shrugged. "Okay, if you're sure," he replied.  
  
Kate sighed, laying back on the bed. "My first night away from home," she muttered. "I miss Erica..."  
  
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Later that evening, when everyone was in bed, Kate slept soundly underneath the covers. She had been awake earlier, staring up at the ceiling as her anxieties kept her awake. Eventually, though, she grew tired of this and nodded off.  
  
A chattering noise caught the doglike friend's attention. She opened her eyes wearily and turned her head about. The noise was gone, and she saw nothing that might have caused it. Assuming it was nothing, she laid back down to sleep.  
  
The chattering noise woke Kate again, and this time she sat up. The noise stopped, and once more she saw nothing that could have caused it and went back to sleep.  
  
Again, the chattering noise disturbed Kate. She sat up and looked around again, and this time she found the source of the noise- it was Eduardo's teeth, quietly chattering together in fear.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Kate stood from her bed and walked over to Eduardo's bedside. She stood there for a moment, hoping he'd wake up soon.  
  
Sure enough, Eduardo's eyes popped open; surprised to see Kate (or anyone, for that matter), he screamed in shock.  
  
Quickly, Kate shoved her paws over Eduardo's mouth. "Shh, shh, shh!" she whispered. "Calm down, Ed! It's okay! It's just me, Kate!"  
  
After a moment, Eduardo finally calmed down. "Senorita Kate," he gasped. "You scared me."  
  
"Somehow I'm not surprised," Kate responded. "You looked like you were having a bad dream. Are you okay?"  
  
Although Eduardo nodded in reply, Kate could tell he was still very nervous. She noted how he was looking over to the bedside corner.  
  
Kate shook her head. "Monsters under the bed again, huh?" she said. "Here, let me check." She pushed herself under the bed and looked around. "Nope, nothing here."  
  
When Kate came back out, she hoped to see Eduardo more relaxed. Sadly, this was not the case; he was still shaking nervously, looking around the room for anything scary.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Kate got back on the floor and slid under the bed, leaving only her head and arms sticking out. "Okay, Ed, I'll stick around for monster patrol," she offered. "Would you like that?"  
  
Although it did make him feel better, Eduardo was still unsure. "Esta bien, senorita?" he asked.  
  
A smile crossed Kate's face. "I'm fine," she replied with a yawn. "Don't worry about me; I make a good guard-dog anyway."  
  
Eduardo sighed in relief, rolling back under the covers. Kate positioned herself under the bed, as comfortably as she could. She then rested her head on her folded arms and slowly drifted back to sleep... 


	3. Beware of Duchess

A Twist of Kate  
  
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Author's Notes: Hurrah, hurrah! More notes!  
  
Binda-  
Yeah, I know Eduardo sleeps on the top bunk. I thought it was odd, though- a monster his size, on the top bunk? Wouldn't that make whoever sleeps on the bottom bunk (in that case, Wilt) a little nervous?  
There was a little paragraph in the last chapter explaining that the friends (the residents at Fosters, not just Bloo and the gang) did some switching around with bed arrangements. Perhaps there were a couple friends who couldn't stop talking to each other? Some that snored or drooled in their sleep? Some who had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night? Obviously, some gradual switching around had to occur, and it still is, so long as old friends are leaving and new friends are coming in.  
Don't worry, though- I intend to keep Bloo, Mac, and the other characters around, and hopefully Kate will be the only imaginary friend I want to add (I don't like adding too many OCs to a fanfic- from a reader's POV, it makes the story less interesting). Thanks for the comments!  
  
Cartoonsey DeJubbyjub-  
Thanks. I wanted to make Kate fit in as much as possible with the others, but I didn't want to put the spotlight on her exclusively. I want to make sure all the cast members get a good portion of the plot, so fanfic readers can keep their attention more easily.  
Yeah, Kate likes Eduardo a lot. I think she's intrigued by the fact that he's an imaginary friend that could easily pass as a fearsome monster, but is just a great big kid at heart.  
Now, as far as romance... I'll have to let you find that out for yourself, won't I? )  
No, you aren't being annoying. I love a good review, especially flattering ones like those! I'll keep on writing if you keep 'em coming! :D Oh, and as for Mac's toy car... thanks for the reminder! I should look into that...  
  
Barry I. Grauman-  
Well, now, I wouldn't exactly say "perfect"... but I do try. )  
I'm glad you like Kate. I guess she kinda fits in... hey, look at Mr. Herriman! The Eduardo and Kate relationship... have I made it that obvious? LOL Thanks much for the comments!  
  
Miss Understood Genious-  
I know what those late nights feel like... LOL Thanks for the encouragement. I hope I can push myself to actually finish it! :)  
  
Jillian14-  
Uh... thanks. I did review, and gave ya some pointers.  
Next time, though, could you give me something more specific? It would be nice... :D  
  
Mac-  
Thanks! I'm glad you like it so far, and don't worry- hopefully, this project won't die on me. ;)  
  
Princess Chaos-  
You think it's funny? Awesome! :D I'll try and keep it up as I go along. Thanks for the review!  
  
Thank you all so much for the reviews! On with the next story!  
  
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Chapter Three: "Beware of Duchess"  
  
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The next morning, Kate was sound asleep under Eduardo's bed. Sure enough, no monsters (if any) came around to terrorize the poor purple friend. She really did feel pretty comfortable there; she didn't feel the need to get up since then.  
  
Eventually, all the friends at Fosters began to wake up. A few were already downstairs getting breakfast, but most of them were just waking up.  
  
Wilt yawned, sitting up in his bunk and stretching. "Good morning, everybody," he greeted, getting down from his bed.  
  
Coco stirred from her nest, blinking her eyes. "Coco coco," she chimed.  
  
Needless to say, Bloo was not a morning person. "Five more minutes," he muttered in his slumber.  
  
Naturally, Eduardo was the next friend to awaken. He felt better this morning, knowing that no monster could have gotten to him the night before. It felt good to have a good friend like Kate around.  
  
As Eduardo stretched and got out of bed, he failed to remember an important detail...  
  
"Yeow!!"  
  
Kate was still under the bed... and her outstretched arm was now under Eduardo's foot.  
  
Afraid that he might have hurt her, Eduardo backed off. "I sorry, I sorry, I sorry!" he cried.  
  
Of course, that wasn't helping Kate much; she managed to crawl out on her own. "It's okay! It's okay!" she assured.  
  
Again, Eduardo did not look where he was stepping. This time, his foot landed on Kate's foot. "Gah!!" she screamed. "Ow, ow, ow! It hurts! Ow!!"  
  
The sudden scream was enough to shock Bloo out of sleep. "I'm awake, I'm awake, I'm awake!" he shouted.  
  
Quickly, Wilt and Coco ran back down the hall, alerted by the screams in the bedroom. "What happened?" Wilt asked.  
  
Coco also poked her head in. "Coco co?" she inquired.  
  
Bloo turned his attention to the doorway. He saw Wilt and Coco, but their mouths were foamy (from toothpaste, unbeknowst to him). "Wilt! Coco!" he yelped. "You've mutated!"  
  
To say the least, both Wilt and Coco were confused. What on earth was he talking about? Mutations??  
  
"Bloo?" Wilt queried.  
  
"Coco?" Coco inquired.  
  
"Ow!" Kate yelled.  
  
"I sorry!" Eduardo cried.  
  
"Mutants!" Bloo screamed.  
  
Fearful for his life, Bloo jumped off the bed and ran for safety. Coco followed him in hot pursuit, trying to ask him what he was so worried about. Of course, that's hard enough to do when all you can say is "coco", but with a mouth full of toothpaste??  
  
Meanwhile, Wilt hurried over to the beds; Eduardo was crying and Kate was curled up on the floor. "What's going on?" Wilt asked. "Eduardo, what's wrong? Kate, are you okay?"  
  
Kate nodded, although still cringing in pain. "I'm fine," she answered. "Eduardo just stepped on my foot... and my arm..."  
  
Eduardo bawled loudly. "I so sorry!" he whimpered. "Eduardo es un bad boy!"  
  
Now, Kate was quick to react. "Oh, don't cry, Ed," she cooed. "It's okay- accidents happen."  
  
A quiet sniffle escaped Eduardo. "Esta seguro?" he inquired.  
  
Even though Kate didn't know that much Spanish, she still got the jist of what he was asking. "I'm fine," she assured. "I'm just a little sore, that's all."  
  
Wilt leaned over. "You sure you're okay?" he queried.  
  
The doglike imaginary friend shook her head. "Yes, Wilt!" she insisted. "It's not like I need crutches or anything! I'm perfectly fine!"  
  
A loud crash alerted Wilt, Eduardo, and Kate. They stood and ran over to the corner of the room; Bloo was curled up in the corner, cowering in Coco's shadow. "I'll be okay, I'll be okay," Bloo kept telling himself. "This is all just a dream... I'll be awake in two seconds..."  
  
"Coco coco co!" Coco shouted, her mouth still full of toothpaste foam.  
  
In his sheer shock, Bloo fainted right there on the floor.  
  
After a moment of just standing there, the rest of the friends just looked at each other. "Wilt, maybe you and Coco should go wash up," Kate suggested. "Eduardo and I will stay here and wake up Bloo."  
  
Nodding, Wilt gestured to Coco and they walked away, heading back to the bathroom. After all, they still had toothpaste in their mouths!  
  
Perhaps a minute or two later, Bloo finally came to. "Wha... what happened?" he murmured.  
  
Although she could have told him the truth, Kate thought that a lie would make better sense. "You must have had a bad dream," she answered. "You were probably sleepwalking or something."  
  
Rubbing his head, Bloo stood shakily. "Yeah, that must be it," he muttered. "It was something about Coco... and mutants..."  
  
Shaking her head, Kate helped Bloo up. "Come on, let's get washed up and downstairs," she advised. "I don't know about you two, but I'm starving!"  
  
As the friends made their way out of the bedroom, Kate stopped for a moment. She bent down and rubbed her foot; it was still sore from when Eduardo accidentally stepped on it. "Note to self," she mumbled. "Next time I offer to lie under somebody's bed, make sure I'm all the way under."  
  
Once her foot felt a little better, Kate stood again. She then saw Eduardo standing in the doorway, waiting for her. He seemed concerned, in that he wanted to help her somehow.  
  
Kate blushed a little; it felt kind of awkward to have someone staring at her like that. "I'm fine," she said. "I'm just sore, that's all."  
  
Eduardo hung his head, as if feeling guilty. He turned to leave, but then stuck his head in the doorway again. "Esta bien?" he asked. "I can help."  
  
"Really, I'm fine," Kate insisted. "Go ahead- I'll catch up with you."  
  
After Eduardo finally left, Kate made her way down the hall and towards the bathroom. Even though she knew she could take care of herself, she still thought it was nice of Eduardo to wait for her like that. In fact, she thought it was sweet...  
  
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A little later that morning, a familiar young boy approached the Fosters home. He knocked at the door, waiting for a quick response from Frankie or Mr. Herriman.  
  
Sure, enough, it was Frankie who opened the door. She looked down and smiled. "Hey, Mac," she greeted. "Ready for a fun-filled Saturday at Fosters?"  
  
Mac nodded. "You bet," he replied, stepping inside. "My mom's working and Terrence slept in this morning, as usual." He looked around. "Where's Bloo?"  
  
Frankie shrugged. "Probably still upstairs, eating breakfast," she guessed. "I'll stop by and tell him you're here, okay?"  
  
Smiling, Mac took a seat in a nearby chair. "Thanks, Frankie," he said.  
  
"No problem," Frankie responded, picking up a basket of clothes she had placed on the floor. "Now, if you'll excuse me, her royal highness has asked me to do her laundry, again." She muttered something to herself as she left Mac to wait in the main foyer.  
  
A moment later, a doglike imaginary friend sauntered downstairs. She noticed the boy and hurried over. "Hi, Mac," Kate chimed, hugging him. "You here to see Bloo?"  
  
The boy nodded. "Yeah," he answered. "It's Saturday, and I always spend the weekends with Bloo and the others."  
  
A grin crossed Kate's face. "How nice," she commented, then noticing a small yellow cloth on the floor. "Huh, what's this?"  
  
Unsure, Mac came over and got a closer look. "It looks like a hankie," he noted, remembering something. "Well, Frankie was just here... and she had a load of Duchess' laundry..."  
  
Still being new, Kate had very little idea who Duchess was. She knew that she was cold, mean, and stubborn, but also rich and stuck-up. However, she had no idea what this "friend" looked like. A friendly visit from a fellow imaginary friend never hurt anyone...  
  
Curious, Kate picked up the hankie and sniffed it. "Expensive perfume, and linens from fine clothes," she guessed. "You know, Mac, I think I'll return this to Duchess myself."  
  
Mac gave Kate an odd glance. "You haven't met Duchess yet, have you?" he queried.  
  
Kate stared at Mac inquisitively, her head and ears cocked to the side. "Is that a problem?" she inquired  
  
"I guess not," Mac replied with a shrug. "A lot of folks usually try to stay away from Duchess. She doesn't like guests, anyway... at least, not guests like the regulars here."  
  
The doglike imaginary friend smirked. "Well, sooner or later, she's gonna come looking for this hankie," she reasoned. "No time like the present, right?" She sniffed the hankie again, and went straight up the stairwell, apparently hot on the scent.  
  
Even if he didn't suspect Kate to be a trouble-maker (not like Bloo, anyway), Mac was still a little worried. "Something tells me that Duchess won't be so eager..."  
  
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Once she scaled the stairs and made her way through the halls of Fosters, Kate kept hot on the trail, especially with the hankie for scent reference. She was anxious to see Duchess- if her hankie smelled this fancy, what splendor did she live in??  
  
Finally, Kate came to the door that was presumably the residence of Duchess. She took a deep whiff of the air around it; that rich scent was there. This was the place, alright.  
  
Cautiously, Kate reached for the door handle and opened the door. She was amazed at the wonders before her- all the fabulous colors, bright lights, and amorous scents immediately caught her, delighting her senses. She had to come in!  
  
As Kate made her way inside, she took a closer look around the room. Perhaps it was a bit too gaudy for her tastes, but then again what did she know about culture?  
  
After a moment of quiet study, Kate finally found it- the make-up counter. She saw an open drawer with a colorful cloth sticking out of it. That was probably where Duchess left her hankies and other such items.  
  
Before Kate could reach the drawer, though, something else caught her eye. She glanced at all the perfume bottles, in every color and scent imaginable... it was almost like she was in a trance, just gazing at them.  
  
"Hello."  
  
Kate jumped in surprise. She turned around to face a strange-looking imaginary friend. "Um... hi," she murmured. "Wow, you look like a work of art. Were you Picasso's imaginary friend?"  
  
Although it wasn't true, the imaginary friend loved the flattery. "Perhaps," she answered with a wide grin. "You must be new. I don't believe we have been properly introduced." She chuckled. "I am Her Royal Highness Diamond Persnickity The First, Last, and Only."  
  
A nervous grin escaped the doglike friend. "Oh, you must be Duchess," she replied. "I'm Kate- just Kate. Not 'Miss Katherine' like that annoying rabbit calls me... just Kate."  
  
Duchess observed Kate carefully. True, she was rather uncouth and unbecoming for someone of her important stature... but her comments were sincere, and it had been too long since she had heard such things. If she kept this dog around, she could quickly become her loyal friend... and would be willing to do her bidding as well.  
  
Finally, Kate realized that she had been there too long. "Ah, I should be going," she muttered, approaching the door. "It was nice meeting you, Duchess."  
  
"I know," Duchess responded, "and I just want you to know, Kate, that you are always welcome in my presence, darling."  
  
Shocked, Kate turned around catiously. "You... you like me?"  
  
The artistic imaginary friend nodded. "Is something the matter?"  
  
Still surprised, Kate calmed down and tried to explain. "Well... you see..." she stuttered, "I was under the impression that you... well, you weren't very likeable." She swallowed hard. "Do... do you mean it? Do you really like me?"  
  
Continuing with her charade, Duchess nodded in compliance. "Of course," she lied. "I don't know what anyone else has told you, but I am not a bad person. I simply have a better taste for culture, darling. You understand that, don't you?"  
  
Kate smiled. "I guess that makes sense," she remarked. "I always figured it takes genius to recognize fine art, something I never really understood."  
  
Duchess smiled; clearly, she had Kate fooled wonderfully. "I have been gifted with my high quality," she commented. "Perhaps if you spent more time with me, you could learn as well."  
  
Appreciative of the compliment, Kate nodded. "I'll keep that in mind," she answered. "See you around, Duchess."  
  
Once Kate was out of the room, Duchess chuckled lightly. Her plan was set; all she needed now was for Kate to follow accordingly...  
  
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Meanwhile, Mac and Bloo were downstairs waiting in the foyer for Wilt. The tall red imaginary friend had some time the day before to work on Mac's RC car; all he needed to do now was make a few last-minute adjustments.  
  
Bloo groaned loudly. "What could be taking him so long??" he snapped.  
  
The boy gave his blue friend a sidelong look. "Be patient, Bloo," he advised. "Besides, do you think you could do any better? Or any faster?"  
  
That quickly got Bloo to be quiet. He sunk further into his seat, muttering something under his breath.  
  
At that moment, Kate sauntered happily down the stairs. "Hey, guys," she chimed, glancing at Bloo with concern. "What's wrong, Bloo?"  
  
A heavy sigh was Bloo's only reply.  
  
"Don't mind him, Kate," Mac answered, sitting up in his seat. "So, did you manage to return the hankie to Duchess' room without runing into her?"  
  
This new topic piqued Bloo's interest. "Huh?" he inquired. "What about Duchess?"  
  
Surprised, Kate reached into the pocket of her capris. "Oh, I forgot about that," she gasped. "I'll have to take care of it later."  
  
The thought of Kate going back into "the dragon's lair" unnerved Mac and intrigued Bloo. "But what if Duchess is there?" the boy asked.  
  
Kate shrugged. "So what?" she commented. "It's not like Duchess is bad-"  
  
Quickly, Bloo interrupted Kate. "Are you crazy??" he questioned. "Duchess is the most spoiled, jealous, and evil friend at Fosters!"  
  
In shock, Kate dropped her jaw. "Bloo, I can't believe you!" she cried. "I know she may be misunderstood for her cultural genius, but really- evil?? How could you be so rude?!"  
  
It became apparent to Mac that they were missing something. "Wait, Kate, hold on a minute," he said. "You met Duchess, and she wasn't mean to you?"  
  
The doglike imaginary friend nodded. "That's right," she noted. "Sure, she was a bit wary at first, but I would be too if a stranger wandered into my room. She even said I was welcome to visit her any time."  
  
Now Mac was even more confused. "That's strange," he remarked. "Duchess doesn't normally like company. In fact, she's not usually nice, either." He looked up at Kate. "Did she say anything else?"  
  
Unsure, Kate shrugged. "No, not really," she replied. "She did say that she wanted to share some of her cultural knowledge with me, but nothing else. Why?"  
  
Mac was still wary of Duchess, and with good reason. "Kate, are you sure Duchess isn't just using you for some reason?"  
  
Bloo gave Mac a sharp stare. "Hello!" he snapped. "Why would Duchess wanna use Kate? It's not like she knows some deep dark secret that Duchess doesn't want anybody else to know!" Slowly, Bloo turned around to face Kate. "Unless you do! What's her secret, Kate??"  
  
"There is no secret, Bloo," Kate answered. "Duchess just likes me for some reason, and I don't see why you two don't like her. She's really a pretty nice person."  
  
Before Mac could get another word in, Kate turned around and headed back up the stairs. "No, I don't wanna hear another word about it," she growled. "I'm going back upstairs. I have a hankie to return."  
  
With a heavy sigh, Mac laid his head in his hands. "Well, that went well," he mumbled.  
  
To say the least, Bloo wasn't quite as concerned. "Oh, so what?" he commented. "Let her go off and be 'friends' with Duchess. If she gets in trouble, it's her own fault, right?"  
  
Just the same, Mac wasn't willing to let that happen. Perhaps Kate needed to learn this lesson the hard way, but what if she never learned? What if, instead of a friend, Kate was to become their enemy and cohort of Duchess?  
  
Finally, Wilt made his way down the stairs and into the foyer. "Hey, guys!" he greeted, holding out a red remote-controlled car. "Here you go, Mac- good as new."  
  
Quickly, Bloo grabbed the car. "Awesome!" he cheered, turning to the boy. "Come on, Mac- let's check it out!"  
  
Feeling a little better, Mac stood and approached Bloo, taking the car from Bloo. "Okay, okay," he agreed, "but this time, we're going outside. There's not as many obstacles out there."  
  
Scoffing a little, Bloo reluctantly followed Mac outside. "Fine," he muttered. "I'm coming..."  
  
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A soft knock came to Duchess' door. The haughty imaginary friend grinned evilly. "Come in," she requested.  
  
The door opened slowly, and Kate poked her head inside. "Hi, Duchess," she murmured. "I just wanted to return something."  
  
Intrigued, Duchess reached out her hand and gestured Kate closer with her well-manicured finger. "Come closer," she said softly as Kate closed the door. "Now, what is it you wish to return?"  
  
Kate reached into her pocket and pulled out a yellow cloth. "I wanted to return your hankie," she explained. "That's why I was here in the first place- it must have fallen out of your laundry basket."  
  
Duchess smiled, taking the hankie from Kate. "Thank you," she replied, taking notice of her sullen expression. "You seem sad. Tell me- what is wrong?"  
  
Shrugging, Kate lowered her head. "I dunno," she mumbled. "It's just... well, I told my friends that you liked me, and they didn't believe me. They still think you're mean..." She glanced at the bed, then at Duchess. "Would you mind terribly if I sat down?"  
  
"Of course not," Duchess answered, sitting down next to Kate. "Now, why don't you tell me those lies your friends told you?"  
  
With a light-hearted sigh, Kate began her rambling. "Well," she began, "it happened like this..."  
  
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An hour or so later, three friends were travelling down the hallway- Wilt, Coco, and Eduardo. Lunch would be ready soon, so they needed to get downstairs.  
  
As the friends laughed over a new joke, Wilt suddenly remembered something. "Hey, have any of you seen Kate?" he asked.  
  
"Coco co," Coco responded.  
  
Eduardo shrugged. "Si, me neither," he said.  
  
Wilt thought for a moment. "That's strange," he commented. "I saw her a couple of times in the hallway, but she never said anything. I wonder where she is."  
  
It was then that a nearby door opened. It was Duchess' doorway, and they expected the spoiled friend to step outside.  
  
Of course, that was not the case this time. "Thank you so much, Duchess," Kate chimed as she stepped outside. "You know, I wish there were more friends like you."  
  
A familiar voice trailed into the hallway. "It was no trouble, really," Duchess assured. "And remember- you can keep that handkerchief."  
  
Kate smiled. "Thanks, Duchess," she replied, closing the door and gazing at the three astounded friends. "Oh- hi, guys."  
  
At first, none of them said anything. It was too much of a miracle- Kate made friends with Duchess?? How was it possible?!  
  
Finally, it was Coco who broke the silence. "Coco coco?" she questioned.  
  
The doglike imaginary friend rolled her eyes. "I was talking to Duchess," she answered. "Why? Is that a crime?"  
  
"Well, no," Wilt responded ernestly, "but... well..."  
  
Quickly, Kate interjected. "Let me guess," she snapped. "Duchess is a mean, cold-hearted person, right?"  
  
The three friends nodded in agreement. Hey, it was true!  
  
An angry groan escaped Kate. "Well, you're wrong," she spat. "Duchess is a really nice person, and if you ever got the chance to know her, you'd see that."  
  
Again, none of the three friends spoke. Wilt was always friendly with everyone, but Duchess was never nice to anyone, especially him. Coco had tried once before, but after that encounter never saw the point in trying again. And Eduardo- well, he was just plain afraid of her!  
  
Surprised at what she assumed was arrogance, Kate snorted. "You know, I expected better from you," she hissed. "I thought it was bad enough that Mac and Bloo didn't like her, but I figured it was just that they were children. But you- you've been here longer than I have, and I think I'd know a bad person when I see one."  
  
Before any of the friends could say a word, Kate turned away and stormed down the hallway. She couldn't believe it- how could no one like Duchess, whom she assumed to be a genuinely nice person? It didn't make sense to her!  
  
Coco looked up at Wilt. "Coco co coco?" she asked.  
  
Wilt shrugged. "I dunno," he replied. "She's probably just a little steamed; she'll cool off after a while."  
  
As Wilt and Coco continued their way to the dining hall, Eduardo stayed behind a moment. He always thought Kate was a very nice friend- she was so kind, friendly, and forgiving- so why would she be friends with Duchess?  
  
Eduardo sighed, following Wilt and Coco. Whatever was going on with Kate, he just hoped it was only temporary...  
  
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Downstairs at lunch, all the imaginary friends gathered in the dining hall. Of course everyone was there, and a space had been cleared for Mac to sit. Naturally, Bloo and his friends all sat together, and even Kate joined them (despite their disagreements).  
  
Once everyone was settled and enjoying their lunch, Bloo decided it was time to question Kate's judgement. "So, Kate," he began, "do you still like Duchess?"  
  
Kate's ears flattened against her skull, a sign that she was irritated. "Yes, Bloo," she snapped. "Now, stop, please- I just want to enjoy my lunch with you guys, and I'd rather not have it spoiled by our differences."  
  
"Speaking of spoiled," Bloo continued, "haven't you noticed how spoiled Duchess is? I mean, look at all that fancy schmancy stuff she has!"  
  
Quickly, Mac grabbed hold of Bloo. "Stop it, Bloo!" he hissed. "She doesn't wanna talk about it. Leave her alone."  
  
Sadly, Bloo's influence had spread. "Coco!" Coco chimed, agreeing with Bloo whole-heartedly.  
  
Wilt, Eduardo, and Mac turned to the birdlike imaginary friend. "Coco!" they shouted.  
  
Coco shrugged. "Coco coco," she murmured.  
  
Quick to react, Kate snarled, keeping her glaring eyes downcast. She couldn't believe how harsh her own friends were...  
  
At that moment, Frankie stood and sauntered over to where the friends were sitting. "Hey, guys, what's going on?" she inquired. "Whatever you're fighting about, it's distracting everyone else."  
  
Hoping for some enlightenment, Kate stood and turned to the girl. "Frankie, thank goodness," she sighed, gesturing to the others. "Please, tell them that Duchess isn't bad- that she's really a nice person."  
  
The other friends winced. They were well aware of Frankie's perspective of Duchess.  
  
To say the least, Frankie was shocked. "Duchess- nice?" she questioned. "Are you out of your mind??"  
  
Kate was taken aback. "Excuse me?" she queried.  
  
Angered, Frankie fehemently reeled on about Duchess and her tendancies. "Duchess is one of the pickiest, meanest, most spoiled friends at Fosters!" she screamed. "She always likes things done a certain way, and won't take them otherwise! Trust me- I have to do her laundry at least three times- sometimes five- so that it's just right! Plus, she insists on being called her given 'royal' name! She's never nice, Kate- NEVER!!"  
  
Now it was Kate's turn to shout. "Frankie, I don't believe you!" she cried. "Duchess is one of the nicest friends I've ever met! She always listens to me, and lets me come into her room. She even gave me one of her hankies! I don't see how you could be so rude and make up all those... those lies!"  
  
Everyone in the room gasped. Frankie, lie? No, that could never be true! They all knew Duchess was a mean-spirited friend- most of them had even seen it for themselves!  
  
Again, Kate looked around for someone who would give her a sensible answer. "Mr. Herriman," she addressed, approaching the proper rabbit, "surely you can agree with me- perhaps Duchess isn't the best friend, but she's really nice at heart!"  
  
Surprised to hear such an honest query proposed, Mr. Herriman said nothing. He merely cleared his throat and looked away, hoping Kate would drop the subject.  
  
This was not the case; Kate finally drew her attention to the kindly old lady at the head of the table. "Madam Foster?" she squeaked.  
  
Unable to answer the question to her liking, Madam Foster too turned away from Kate, whistling a quiet tune. Hey, even she knew that Duchess was a cold, mean imaginary friend!  
  
Desperate, Kate turned to every other imaginary friend. "Come on!" she shouted. "Somebody, anybody- tell me that Duchess is a good person!"  
  
No one replied directly to Kate's request. Some looked away, some whistled quietly, some cleared their throats, and some even muttered an insult under their breaths; the rest just said nothing.  
  
To say the least, Kate was shocked. "I don't believe it," she murmured. "I'm living in a house of arrogant pigs."  
  
"Hey!" a friend named Piggy cried from across the room. "I resemble that remark!"  
  
Needless to say, Kate did not care. "May I be excused?" she snapped at Mr. Herriman, picking up her plate.  
  
Before Mr. Herriman could say a word, Kate turned away. "I'm having lunch with my friend," she spat. "If any of you wanna wise up and join me, go ahead. Otherwise, you may continue in your hateful conversations." With that, she stormed out of the room and upstairs.  
  
A brief moment of silence followed. Once everyone decided that it really wasn't something they should bother thinking about, they continued eating and talking.  
  
Mac gave Bloo a sharp look. "I hope you're happy, Bloo," he remarked.  
  
Of course, Bloo had little idea of what Mac was talking about, nor did he care. "Hey, don't go blaming her outburst on me," he snapped.  
  
Coco gave Bloo a sidelong look. "Co coco coco," she reminded.  
  
Bloo glared at Coco out of the corner of his eye. "Oh, be quiet," he hissed.  
  
Suddenly, Eduardo grabbed hold of his plate. He stood up a little, and caught everyone else's attention. He froze, afraid of what to do next.  
  
Mr. Herriman glanced at Eduardo. "Master Eduardo," he addressed, "where are you going?"  
  
Eduardo wanted to tell him the truth- that he wanted to go upstairs and have lunch with Kate... and Duchess. It was odd, however, how everyone was staring at him. He never did like that.  
  
With an heavy sigh, Eduardo sat back down at the table and put down his plate. He took a bite out of his sandwich and smiled, hoping everyone would stop staring at him like that.  
  
Sure enough, most of the friends went back to their own lunches. Only his friends were still looking at him.  
  
After a moment, Mac dismissed it and continued eating his own lunch. Coco did the same once she grew tired of staring. Even Bloo gave up after he realized he was still hungry, and started a different conversation with Mac.  
  
However, Wilt was still concerned. "Are you okay, buddy?" he asked.  
  
Nodding, Eduardo picked up his sandwich and took another bite. "Si, si..."  
  
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Upstairs, Kate seated herself on the shelf of Duchess' balcony. "Can you believe them?" she growled. "I don't understand it, Duchess- you're so nice and polite. Why would anyone not like you?"  
  
Duchess waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, herself seated at her own little private table. "Oh, forget them, darling!" she advised. "They know nothing about culture!"  
  
"I know," Kate agreed. "And Frankie- she was the worst of all! I thought she'd have more sense, but I was so wrong! You should have heard all the lies she said about you!"  
  
Nodding, Duchess took another bite of her sushi dish. "Yes, indeed," she responded. "I may be high maintenance, but really- I don't ask much. Perhaps I live in a pampered lifestyle, but that is how I was created."  
  
Kate smiled, amazed at Duchess' apparent intellect. "I couldn't agree more," she noted.  
  
It was here that Duchess saw an opportunity to influence her newfound friend. "You know," she said, standing from her chair and approaching Kate, "as much as I hate telling you this, you must realize how... uncouth your friends really are."  
  
The doglike imaginary friend nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it," she answered. "I mean, I thought they were nice... and they were, for a while... but now I see their true colors." She snorted. "Some friends they were, huh?"  
  
Taking pity on the doglike friend, Duchess sat down beside Kate. "Oh, don't worry," she assured. "Not everyone can be as cultured as I am. You can't really blame them."  
  
A light sigh escaped Kate. "I guess you're right," she murmured.  
  
Again, Duchess gestured with her hand. "Who needs them, anyway?" she dismissed. "They are only uncultured, closed-minded, arrogant pigs."  
  
Smiling, Kate put down her plate and turned to Duchess. "Exactly," she replied, embracing Duchess. "You're such a great friend. It's like you can read my mind or something."  
  
A sly grin crossed Duchess' snout. "You don't know the half of it, my dear Kate..."  
  
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To Be Continued...  
  
(PS- before you hit the review button, remember- this is only part one. All will be revealed in the next chapter, so stick around! Thanks again!) 


	4. A True Friend

A Twist of Kate  
  
------------------------  
  
Author's Notes: Now, for the reviews from our last segment...  
  
Kat and Nini-  
(gasps) Thank you so much! I was wondering what her full title was!  
Thanks to you, I have made changes to the previous chapter. :) Thanks again!  
  
Tabitha the Nox-  
Yeah, I wanted to create a dramatic tone at the end of the last chapter, to build suspense... :)  
  
Cartoonsey DeJubbyjub-  
I know! Isn't she the meanest?? )  
Thanks for the comments! Well appreciated!!  
  
PhantomGoDeo-  
Yes, Duchess is evil, isn't she?  
I think Craig and the other FHFIF staff broke the mold making her a villainess... and I love expanding upon her cunning. :D  
  
Here's Part Two, everyone! Enjoy!!  
  
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Chapter Four: "A True Friend"  
  
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A few hours passed since Kate stormed her way upstairs into Duchess' room. No one really bothered to go up there; only Frankie usually found herself at that door, and even she decided to stay away for a while.  
  
Strangely enough, it was Eduardo who waited outside. Once he had finished his lunch, he promised the others that he would meet them outside later. For now, he wanted to talk to Kate.  
  
The large purple friend paced back and forth nervously. He wanted to go inside, but he was too afraid of Duchess. Perhaps she would be nicer to him, with Kate around... but how could he be sure either of them wanted him around?  
  
Finally, the door opened. "Thanks again, Duchess," Kate chimed, stepping outside with a fluffy white wrap around her neck. "This feather boa is great! You have no idea how true a friend you really are."  
  
"Thank you, darling," Duchess replied from inside her room. "Now, off you go- I'm sure you have quite a bit to do."  
  
Nodding, Kate chuckled. "I'll see you later, Duchess," she said, closing the door and turning around to see Eduardo. "Oh- hi, Eduardo."  
  
A small smile crossed Eduardo's face. "Hola, senorita," he greeted, fidgeting with his fingers.  
  
Kate sighed heavily. "Oh, Ed," she responded, "I know this might be difficult for you to understand. Have you ever met Duchess personally?"  
  
Eduardo was unsure of how to respond. "Uh..." he murmured, "I too afraid... Senorita Duchess es muy asustadizo!"  
  
The doglike imaginary friend let a small grin cross her face. "Eduardo, there's no reason to be afraid," she assured. "Duchess is really nice, once you get to know her." She gently took his hand. "You should really come with me and meet her sometime."  
  
Another thought hit Eduardo. "Senorita Kate," he squeaked, "usted es trastorno porque a sus heridas?"  
  
Of course, Kate didn't understand Eduardo's fluent Spanish. "Excuse me?" she asked.  
  
In an attempt to explain himself, Eduardo pointed to Kate's bruised arm. "Mad... because... I hurt you?" he repeated in slightly broken English.  
  
Surprised, Kate gasped. "Oh, no, no, no, Ed!" she cooed. "That was an accident. Accidents happen all the time." She smiled. "I could never be mad at you, Ed- you're too nice."  
  
A goofy smile across his face, Eduardo blushed slightly. At least she still liked him.  
  
Hugging her friend, Kate gestured to the stairs. "Come on, Eduardo," she suggested. "Let's go downstairs and have a little fun, huh?"  
  
With a smile and a nod, Eduardo followed Kate downstairs. Perhaps she was friends with Duchess, but as long as she still liked him, that's all that really mattered to him...  
  
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It was a nice day out, and many of the imaginary friends were playing outside. Mac sat on the porch and controlled his RC car with the remote as Bloo, seated atop the car, enjoyed a free ride. Wilt and Coco were off playing various sports with the other friends, but often kept an eye on Mac and Bloo, and waited for Eduardo (and hopefully Kate).  
  
After a while, Eduardo and Kate finally stepped outside. Most of the friends were too busy playing to notice, but those that did took a long hard look at them. Ed seemed to be okay, but Kate... was she wearing one of Duchess' boas?  
  
As Eduardo wandered off to play some games, Kate sat down next to Mac. "Hey, kid," she greeted, noticing the boy's concentration. "What 'cha doin' there?"  
  
Mac gave Kate a sidelong look. "Hey, Kate," he said. "You came downstairs?"  
  
Kate nodded. "Yeah," she replied. "Duchess is just my more sophisticated friend. We can stil be friends, right?"  
  
The boy shrugged. "I guess," he answered. "Kate, I'm just curious- did Duchess say anything about us? You know, the rest of us at Fosters?"  
  
Though she knew otherwise, Kate was not about to let Mac know that- she didn't want to stir up any more controversy. "Oh, not really," she lied. "She said a few things, but not much."  
  
Curious, Mac decided to inquire further. "Like what?" he asked.  
  
Since lying obviously didn't work, Kate thought that half-truths would be the better option. "Not much," she responded. "I guess the jist of it was that... well, you guys aren't quite as sophisticated as she is."  
  
"Uh-huh," Mac noted, still keeping an eye on Bloo. "What about Frankie?"  
  
Again, Kate kept on telling half-truths. "Well, Duchess explained to me that she's a bit high-maintenance," she informed. "She doesn't ask much, though- she was created to be cultured, and there's no changing that."  
  
Now the big picture was coming together- Mac knew immediately that Duchess wasn't being completely truthful with Kate. "So, Duchess was created to be a cultural friend?" he queried. "No offense, Kate, but you're just like us- you aren't exactly the cultured type... are you?"  
  
While questioning Kate, Mac kept less and less attention on the car. Bloo soon found himself winding around obstacles and through the legs of other friends. "Excuse me! Pardon me! Coming through! Watch your step!" he screamed. "Mac, are you the one driving here or me??"  
  
Meanwhile, Kate struggled to answer the question given to her. "Well... no, I guess not," she admited, "but she said that she could make me more cultured." She tossed her feather boa around her neck and smiled. "You like?"  
  
Unimpressed, Mac set the remote aside. "It's nice," he said, "but do you like it? It doesn't really suit you."  
  
Bloo struggled to keep control of the RC car. "Mac!" he shouted, steering his way through the backyard. "Help me out here!"  
  
Kate rolled her shoulders, showing off her boa a little. "Well, Erica and I used to play dress-up all the time when we were kids," she answered. "Besides, I think I look nice in it."  
  
With a heavy sigh, Mac finally picked up his RC car control again. "Okay, if you say so," he replied. "I'm just saying, you can be friends with Duchess if you want, but I wouldn't trust her completely if I were you."  
  
"Mac!!" Bloo cried as the RC car drove full-speed in the direction of the house... and stopped on a dime.  
  
Worried, Mac ran over to his friend. "Bloo," he gasped, "are you okay?"  
  
The little blue friend sat up in the car, watching the little yellow birds circle round his head. "Ooh, hey Mac," he responded woozily, his vision not entirely focused. "Say... I didn't know you had twin brothers..." With a heavy sigh, he collapsed onto the front end of the RC car.  
  
As Mac attended to Bloo, Kate stood and wandered to the doorway. She gave her friends and the others a sidelong glance; were these the people she really belonged with, or was Duchess her true and only friend?  
  
Sighing, Kate pushed the door open and strode inside. She needed to think about this...  
  
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All was quiet at dinner that evening. Kate was downstairs eating with everyone else, and since her outburst that afternoon no one was too willing to talk to her... or say much of anything, for that matter.  
  
Needless, that made Kate feel a little nervous. She looked over at her friends: Bloo was too busy shoveling food into his mouth, and Wilt and Coco both seemed to be enjoying their meals as well (though they often glanced at her every now and then). As for Eduardo, he just smiled, and she would smile back.  
  
This time, Wilt started the new conversation. "So, Kate," he began, "how was your first full day at Fosters?"  
  
Kate shrugged. "It was okay," she answered. "I made some new friends, had some fun..."  
  
At that moment, Bloo looked up from his food. "You had fun with Duchess?" he remarked, his mouth full of food. "That's a new one."  
  
"Bloo!" Wilt shouted.  
  
"Azul!" Eduardo cried.  
  
"Coco!" Coco agreed.  
  
To say the least, Bloo didn't see why they were so upset. "Oh, come on!" he commented, swallowing his food. "You were all thinking the same thing, right?"  
  
Wilt bravely interjected. "Of course not, Bloo," he replied.  
  
Even Coco added her own thoughts. "Coco coco," she responded.  
  
Eduardo said nothing. He just glanced at Kate hopefully.  
  
Bloo dismissed the comments. "Whatever," he muttered.  
  
As everyopne resumed eating, Kate looked at Bloo out of the corner of her eye. Perhaps there was a reason Duchess never liked associating with the others... and now she was beginning to see why...  
  
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That night, Kate sat listlessly on her bed. Thoughts of what was good and bad flooded her mind... she couldn't possibly see how Duchess was bad, not after how nice and kind she had been to her. It was like having an older sister, a mentor perhaps. Then, why did everyone else not share her thoughts?  
  
A familiar voice caught her attention. "Senorita?"  
  
The doglike imaginary friend glanced aside and smiled. "Hey, Eduardo," she greeted with a sigh.  
  
Naturally, Eduardo was concerned with Kate's depressed mood, as were the others. "Kate," Wilt interjected, "are you feeling okay?"  
  
A faint smile slipped across Kate's face. "I'm fine," she answered. "I'm just thinking..."  
  
"Coco?" Coco inquired.  
  
Kate cocked her eyebrows at Coco questionably. "Nothing, Coco," she insisted. "I just... have a lot to think about is all."  
  
Yet again, Bloo burst into the conversation. "Give it a rest, will ya?" he spat. "It's obvious that your 'friendship' with Duchess is causing big problems, so why don't you just forget about it and go back to the way things were before? When you were happy?"  
  
It became apparent that Kate had grown tired of Bloo's butting-ins, and was at the end of her rope with it. "Shut up!" she snapped at the little blue blob. "I don't care what you or anyone else here has to say! Duchess makes me happy, and that should be enough for you! Got that??"  
  
For a moment, Bloo said nothing. He just stood there in silence, wary of Kate's next move, and finally slipped away and crawled into bed.  
  
Soon, everyone else did the same- they washed up (if need be) and crawled into bed. Then, at 10 PM sharp- like every night at Fosters- the lights went out, and it was time for everyone to go to sleep.  
  
It wasn't long before Kate was awakened by Eduardo's nervousness. She felt drained of energy after dinner, and didn't see the point in getting up for much of anything. She hoped her friend would be fine on his own tonight.  
  
After a moment, a claw-like finger lightly tapped her shoulder. "Senorita Kate?" Eduardo squeaked.  
  
With a heaved groan, Kate turned over in her bed and faced her friend. "Yes, Ed?" she queried.  
  
Eduardo shakily pointed his finger to the darkness under his bed. "Scary monsters," he whispered, gazing at Kate hopefully. "You protect, por favor?"  
  
Blinking sleepily, Kate yawned. "I'm too tired, Ed," she mumbled, pulling the covers over her. "Just go to sleep- there are no monsters under your bed."  
  
Heartbroken, Eduardo tried once again to convince Kate. "Senorita Kate," he whimpered, "por favor?? I so scared!"  
  
Again, Kate gave her friend a tired (and slightly irritated) look. "Eduardo," she groaned, "there are no monsters under your bed. Just keep telling yourself that. Now go to sleep."  
  
Before Eduardo could say another word, Kate turned away. She growled a little, as dogs will do to show aggrivation.  
  
Biting his lower lip, Eduardo slunk back into bed. He curled up in the covers and murmured something to himself in Spanish, hoping Kate's advice would work.  
  
However, those two friends weren't the only ones witness to the scene. Wilt, Coco, and even Bloo all caught a glimpse of what was going on, and obviously it was quite unnerving...  
  
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Kate missed breakfast downstairs the next morning. She instead washed up, took her hankie and boa, and trotted over to Duchess' room. Her Royal Highness had invited Kate to enjoy breakfast with her; besides, she still had quite a bit to think about, and who better than her new friend?  
  
Bloo and the others said nothing for a while. They quietly ate their cereal and drank their milk and OJ without a peep. Needless to say, that got awkward really fast.  
  
Finally, it was Frankie who stepped in and broke the silence. "Okay, what is going on here?" she demanded, pulling up a chair and sitting among the friends. "Something isn't right here- you guys are always chatting with each other. What's wrong?"  
  
Coco stood on top of her chair, as if to make a statement. "Coco!" she snapped. "Co cococo co coco co! Coco coco!"  
  
Wilt nodded. "She's right," he agreed. "Kate isn't acting like she usually does. I'm beginning to worry about the whole Duchess thing."  
  
Bloo groaned. "Would you quit talking about that??" he yelled, holding up his spoon to the 'accused'. "Kate's made her decision- she likes Duchess more than she likes us. If she wants to be a backstabber, that's her problem, nout ours!" With that, he sat back down and continued to chew his cereal.  
  
To say the least, Frankie was (pardon the author's language) pissed off. "Alright, that's it," she growled, pushing her chair out and storming up the stairs. "I'm getting straight to the bottom of this, right now..."  
  
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Meanwhile, upstairs, Duchess and Kate enjoyed a good laugh. Indeed, they were having a very good time, but they both had to make a few exceptions. While Kate struggled to see the humor of Duchess' dry wit, Duchess forced herself to take ardent interest in Kate's commonfolk stories. Either way, they assumed to be making excellent progress with the other.  
  
As Kate finished with a hearty joke from Erica's childhood days, there was a silent pause. Duchess grinned almost to the point of pulling a facial muscle, but Kate sat there and went back to her pondering. "Duchess," she finally said, "I'm just curious... if I asked you to meet my friends... would you?"  
  
Taken aback, Duchess puckered her lips for a moment and swallowed her tea. "Come again?" she inquired.  
  
Kate turned her intent gaze to Duchess- she wanted answers, now. "Duchess," she addressed, "can you accept my friends?"  
  
Of course, Duchess hadn't been completely asleep at the wheel; she knew who Kate's friends were, for she often observed them in the courtyards and in the halls, but accept them? Not a chance! Moreover, she planned to convince Kate to think the same way.  
  
After a moment of thought, Duchess placed her teacup back on it's saucer and stared at Kate. "Tell me, darling," she implored, "do these friends of yours accept me as I am?"  
  
Now Kate found herself in another unwelcoming position. "Well..." she began.  
  
Suddenly, the two friends were interrupted by a hard slamming knock at the door. "Open up, Duchess!" Frankie screamed. "We need to have a talk, right now!!"  
  
"Perfect timing," Duchess murmured under her breath, then addressing the door sweetly. "Come in, Frankie."  
  
The door slammed open, and the angry redhead stepped inside. "Okay, Duchess, what's going on here??" she snapped, turning to the doglike friend. "Kate- what are you doing up here?"  
  
The sudden intrusion made Kate wary, and did a considerable amount of damage to her trust with Frankie. "I was gonna ask you the same thing," she answered. "What did you come here for?"  
  
Frankie turned an angry eye to Duchess. "I came to see her Royal Highness," she hissed, approaching the friend. "Now, look- I dunno what's going on here, or what you have to do with Bloo and the others being so upset, but whatever it is you're doing, stop! I have enough problems dealing with your average requests, but causing trouble is only gonna make things worse on your part."  
  
A sly grin crossed Duchess' face. "I wouldn't worry about that," she noted.  
  
A low growl from behind her alerted Frankie. She slowly turned around; Kate was crouching, her claws and teeth bared, and the hairs on her back were standing on end.  
  
That sight made Frankie a bit fearful. "Kate?" she addressed. "Kate?"  
  
The doglike friend only growled louder. She approached Frankie, who slowly made her way to the door. Finally, when she saw no other option, Frankie ran out and slammed the door behind her.  
  
Duchess sighed. "You see, darling?" she reminded Kate. "True friends accept each other as they are, and you can clearly see that they do not accept me as you do."  
  
Kate calmed down a little, the revelation all the more clearer to her. "I guess you're right," she murmured. "They don't accept you, do they?"  
  
Again, Duchess hoped to appeal to the innocence in Kate. "I would respect them," she lied convincingly, "but they... they are too arrogant. Who would want such friends?"  
  
With a light sigh, Kate laid down on Duchess' bed. "You don't mind if I stick around a little longer, do you?" she queried. "I need time to think about all this."  
  
"You do that," Duchess replied, chuckling inwardly. "Take all the time you need. I will be right here if you need me..."  
  
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Downstairs, Bloo and the others greeted Mac at the door. It made everyone else feel better about the current situation; spending time with a kid like Mac seemed to get their minds off their worries.  
  
Of course, Bloo wasn't entirely happy. "Whadda ya mean, you FORGOT??" he snapped.  
  
Mac shrugged. "So I forgot to bring the toy car," he said nonchalantly. "It's okay- there's plenty more stuff to do around here."  
  
Bloo scoffed a little. "No, it's not okay!" he screamed. "That was the coolest car ever! Why'd you leave it at home??"  
  
Dubious, Mac rolled his eyes. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I didn't wanna bring it today?" he questioned.  
  
That remark only further 'confirmed' Bloo's suspicions. "Ah-ha!" he cried, pointing an accusing finger at Mac. "So you DIDn't forget after all, did you??"  
  
At that moment, Frankie came storming down the stairs. She groaned loudly, clearly upset, almost to the point of pulling her own hair out. She added something muttered under her breath, too low for most to hear, though the comment was best left unheard.  
  
As Mac and Bloo continued agruing, Wilt and the others turned their attention to the young lady. "Hey, Frankie," he greeted, noticing her moodiness. "What's wrong?"  
  
Frankie growled. "It's Duchess," she spat. "She's so... aggravating! Do you know what she just did??"  
  
"Coco co?" Coco inquired.  
  
Emotionally charged, Frankie swept her hands out in a shocking display. "She threatened me!" she roared. "I asked her what was going on between her and Kate, and she signaled Kate to attack me!"  
  
To say the least, everyone was surprised to hear that; even Mac and Bloo couldn't avoid turning their attention to it. Kate wouldn't attack Frankie, or anyone... would she?  
  
Quickly, Wilt scanned Frankie for any injuries. "You seem okay," he noted.  
  
Nodding, Frankie sighed. "Luckily, Kate was only threatening me," she explained. "I managed to get out of the room before she could attack."  
  
Without a word, the friends immediately pushed past Frankie and ran up the stairs. That was the final straw- Kate could NOT be around Duchess anymore. The selfish haughty friend was quickly proving to be a seriosuly bad influence.  
  
Only Mac and Bloo remained downstairs with Frankie. Bloo wanted nothing to do with Duchess, especially after the way she almost had him eaten by that Extremosaurus. Mac wasn't willing to forget that day either, but still... he felt that he should do something.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Frankie continued downstairs. "I'm gonna have a talk with Herriman," she commented. "Permanant residence at Fosters just isn't working with Duchess- if you ask me, what she needs is solitary confinement."  
  
As Frankie sauntered downstairs, Bloo smiled. "Well, that takes care of that," he chimed, walking up the stairs. "Come on, Mac- let's go play some video games or something."  
  
Mac wasn't following him. Instead, he turned around and made his way up the opposite stairwell, where the others had gone earlier.  
  
Once Bloo realized Mac wasn't behind him (or in front, for that matter), he turned about and faced him. "Hello? Mac?" he addressed. "'Whack-A-Mole' and 'Space Invaders' is THIS way!"  
  
The boy glanced at Bloo. "I know," he replied, continuing up the staircase. "I'll meet you there in a minute- I just wanna talk to Kate quick."  
  
Aggravated, the little blue friend called after his creator. "You know, you're wasting your time!" he shouted. "Frankie said that she'd take care of it, Mac!" He paused for a reply, and none came. "Mac? Mac?? Are you listening to me?!"  
  
No answer came.  
  
Bloo shrugged, turning around. "Just as well," he remarked, walking upstairs to the arcade. "More practice for me... with all this extra time, I can kick Mac's butt at 'Virtual Paddle-Ball'..."  
  
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Kate sighed as she sat listlessly at Duchess' make-up counter. She gazed at the many glistening bottles of perfume; she remembered her first time in this room, and these were the first things to catch her attention. They looked so beautiful, so majestic...  
  
Suddenly, Duchess picked up one of the bottles- a pretty rose-colored one. "Now, sit still," she advised sweetly. "You don't want any of this in your eyes, darling."  
  
The doglike friend closed her eyes, and Duchess held the perfume close to her face. She gave the bottle two or three squirts, but boy- were they powerful! The scent permeated the entire room, and it was impossible to ignore (unless, like Duchess, one had grown used to it after a while).  
  
Taking her first deep breath, Kate found herself gagging on the very air she breathed. The scent of the perfume was so thick and vibrant, it becamed hard for her to breathe (especially considering her heightened sense of smell). Not to mention, the perfume wasn't as pleasant as she expected it to be.  
  
Of course, Duchess didn't see the problem. "Oh, what is wrong, dear?" she queried, in an almost harsh tone. "Can't you handle a little fine perfume?"  
  
Surprised, Kate struggled to speak through her coughs. "Come again?" she asked.  
  
"This is the one of the finest and most expensive perfumes in the world!" Duchess exclaimed. "The ingrediants are European, and the perfume itself is made and bottled in Paris!"  
  
The thickened perfume-sprayed air began to clear, and a connection was being made in Kate's mind. She suddenly realized, in her perspective, that Duchess and her perfume bottles were very much alike. What that similarity was, she couldn't figure out...  
  
A soft knock came to the door. "Kate?" a familiar voice said. "It's me, Wilt."  
  
Duchess rolled her eyes. Not those nuisances again...  
  
Perplexed, Kate approached the door. "Wilt?" she inquired. "What's up?"  
  
A brief chuckle escaped Wilt. "Say, Kate," he addressed, "you wouldn't mind stepping outside a moment, would you?"  
  
As Kate reached for the door handle, Duchess quickly took her hand. "Don't be foolish," she hissed. "Why don't you ask him to come inside?"  
  
Although she thought it was pointless, Kate saw no reason not to go along with it. "Wilt," she replied, "would you mind coming inside?"  
  
For a moment, Wilt didn't speak. "Um..." he chuckled nervously, "I'm sorry, Kate... I was wondering if you wanted to talk... you know, without Duchess."  
  
Kate veered back slightly, glancing at Duchess out of the corner of her eye. That's what she meant- Kate's friends were still intolerant of Duchess. She couldn't allow that, could she?  
  
With a sigh, Kate addressed Wilt one more time. "Sorry, Wilt," she commented, "but if you have something to say to me, you can say it in front of Duchess too."  
  
Not wanting to impose on Kate's apparent comfort, Wilt did the polite (though misguided) thing. "Okay then," he answered, walking away.  
  
Again, Kate turned to her thoughts. Was that wrong, dismissing Wilt like a stranger?  
  
Another knock came to the door. "Coco?" Coco clucked.  
  
Surprised, Kate stayed by the door, but kept her paws away from the handle. "What is it, Coco?" she queried.  
  
"Coco coco," Coco remarked. "Coco co co, coco cococo co co co! Coco co! Co coco co?"  
  
Rolling her eyes, Kate turned away from the door. "You don't understand, Coco," she snapped. "Duchess is my friend- she's nice to me, she listens to me... she even lets me borrow her stuff! How is that mean?"  
  
The bird/plant/airplane thing on the other side of the door was as angry as an imaginary friend like her could be. "Coco!" she fumed. "Coco coco coco! Coco!!" With that, she stormed down the hallway; she gave up on talking any 'sense' into Kate, especially if she wasn't going to listen.  
  
The doglike friend growled. She would never admit it, but Coco did get on her nerves occasionally... even if she never minded being laughed at now and then... and was always willing to share her plastic prize eggs... and made living with the other guy friends a little more tolerable...  
  
Before Duchess could speak, yet another knock drew their attention. "Kate," a boy's voice addressed. "It's Mac. Can we talk?"  
  
Turning around to face the door, Kate folded her arms to keep them from reaching the doorknob. "About what?"  
  
Mac took a deep breath, hoping his idea would work. "Kate, can you please come downstairs?" he asked. "Everyone misses having you around... well, everyone but Bloo, but he just plain hates Duchess." He quickly changed the subject. "Anyway... let's play some video games, or go outside or something."  
  
Kate was silent for a moment. "Can Duchess come?" she inquired.  
  
This dependancy Kate seemed to have on Duchess was quickly irritating Mac. "All we're asking is a few hours," he responded. "Please, Kate?"  
  
As much as she wanted to say 'yes', Kate knew what she had to say; she couldn't upset Duchess. "Maybe some other time," she lied. "Duchess and I are busy with other things."  
  
The boy sighed. "Fine," he murmured. "Go ahead and do what you want. Bloo and the others don't want anything to do with Duchess, and neither do I, so if you'd rather be friends with her than us... that's your choice, I guess."  
  
To say the least, Kate was shocked to hear that remark. She knew it was true, though- was she better of with Duchess as her only friend, than with the rest of the Fosters imaginary friends? Needless to say, that was a hard decision for her to make.  
  
"Don't listen to him," Duchess advised. "He's just upset, darling... but he does have a point."  
  
The doglike friend nodded. "Yeah," she mumbled, "yeah, he does."  
  
One more light knock came to the door, and Duchess glanced at the clock. "It's 11:30," she noted. "That must be Frankie with my good linens." She grinned evilly. "Kate, please tell Frankie how you feel, before letting her in."  
  
Taking a deep breath, Kate turned to the door. "Before you say anything," she snapped, "let me tell you something about Duchess- she's a great friend. She's been nicer to me than most of the other friends at Fosters, including you. In fact, she reminds me- if vaguely- of my former owner, and that makes me feel comfortable here. So don't bother us again, or I'll be sure to tell Mr. Herriman about this abuse." She sighed, reaching for the door handle. "Now, come inside and change the linens, and I'd better not hear another word about this."  
  
She turned the doorknob and opened the door, expecting Frankie... and found, instead, Eduardo.  
  
Assuming all the things she said were about him, Eduardo was crushed. He covered his eyes and bawled like a baby, running down the hallway, with every step shaking like an earthquake.  
  
Kate was also crushed. She covered her mouth in shock. "Oh no," she murmured, "what have I done?"  
  
Quickly, Duchess intervened. "Forget that giant purple coward," she hissed. "You have me now, darling."  
  
It was then that Kate realized her folly. She now understood why Duchess was like her perfume- she seemed attractive on the outside, but inside she was repulsive. How could she have been fooled by mere appearances?  
  
Duchess knew that she was quickly losing Kate's attention. "Kate?" she queried.  
  
At that moment, Frankie arrived with a huge hamper filled with linens. "Sorry I'm late, your Highness," she groaned nonchalantely, "but I had an argument with Mr. Herriman downstairs, and this load needed an extra 10 minutes in the wash cycle-"  
  
A low growl escaped Kate. "Don't talk to me," she spat, turning to Duchess. "You drove away- no, you made me drive away my friends. How could you do such a thing? How could you make me turn against my own friends??"  
  
Frankie sat back, watching the scene intently. "She finally figured it out," she muttered. "I have to watch this..."  
  
Again, Duchess attempted to defend herself, but Kate interrupted her. "No, I don't wanna hear it," she growled. "I don't care how 'cultured' and special you are- that has nothing to do with this! You have no excuse for making me send poor Eduardo crying down the hallway!!" She snarled a bit. "Forget ever having me as a friend, or having any friends at all, if that's the only way you can get them."  
  
Furious, Duchess glared at Kate. "Fine!" she screamed. "I want you out of my room, and I want all my things returned! I never want to see you in my sight again, you filthy mongrel!"  
  
Being so close to her newfound foe's face, Kate gave a quick snap at Duchess, to show her that she was prepared for a brawl if necessary. She then turned and ran out the door, never to be seen in that room again.  
  
Finally, Frankie turned to Duchess and smirked. "Ooh," she remarked, "you sure got what was coming to you."  
  
Duchess growled. "Be quiet," she hissed, "and change my linens. Mark my words, they had better be perfectly clean..."  
  
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Kate sprinted up and down the hallways, listening carefully for any sign of her friends. "Come on, come on," she murmured. "Where are they?"  
  
Suddenly, Kate stopped. She heard a faint noise coming from down the hall; it sounded like someone crying. "Eduardo."  
  
Slowly, Kate tiptoed down through the hallway and ended up in the bedrooms. At the end of the room was a small balcony, which could be opened and closed during the hours so the room could get a little fresh air. There stood Eduardo, crying miserably.  
  
The doglike friend bit her lip. "Oh, poor Ed," she mumbled. "I can't believe... I didn't mean to..."  
  
Sighing, Kate knocked lightly on the door. "Eduardo," she said sweetly, "can I come in?"  
  
Eduardo stifled his crying a little. "Senorita?" he queried.  
  
A small smile crossed Kate's face; she liked how he called her that. "Ed," she sighed, approaching him, "I'm so sorry about all this. Honestly, I didn't know it was you... though, even if it wasn't, I shouldn't have said those things in the first place."  
  
This made Eduardo feel a little better. "You... still like Eduardo?" he asked.  
  
Giggling, Kate hugged her friend. "Of course!" she replied. "You're my friend, Ed- nothing could change that." She smirked. "We won't be seeing Duchess any time soon."  
  
Surprised, Eduardo turned to Kate. "You no like Senorita Duchess?" he inquired.  
  
Still upset with Duchess, Kate shook her head. "Not anymore," she answered. "Everyone was right- she is a meanie, isn't she?"  
  
The large purple friend nodded, hugging Kate again. It felt good, being around her...  
  
Then, Kate cringed and recoiled from Eduardo. She rubbed the area of her arm where Eduardo had stepped on it before.  
  
Before Eduardo could say anything, Kate held her good paw up. "Ed, it's okay," she explained. "Accidents happen, and friends forgive their accidents. You didn't see where you were going, and I forgave you... just like I couldn't see where Duchess was leading me, and you forgave me."  
  
The two friends stood together. They looked around, taking in the placid atmosphere. It was relaxing...  
  
Eventually, Kate and Eduardo would go downstairs to the arcade, and Kate would explain everything. For now, though, they sat there on the balcony and relaxed, enjoying the good weather and their own company. After what they had gone through, quality time with a real friend was exactly what they needed...  
  
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I apologize to everyone that these last two chapters haven't been quite as funny. I'll make it up to you in the next chapter. ;) Later! 


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